Method and apparatus for personalized search

Abstract

A method and apparatus for searching data by a processor at a computer, comprising: retrieving user context of a user using the computer, the user context comprising at least one data item, retrieval performed by a first computational entity executed by the computer; receiving a query issued by the user; attaching a data item of the at least one data item in the query; sending the query to a second computational entity for searching; and receiving results from the second computational entity.

1 . A method for searching data by a processor at a computer, comprising:
 retrieving a user context of a user using the computer, the user context comprising at least one data item, retrieving performed by a first computational entity executed by the computer;   receiving a query issued by the user;   attaching a data item of the at least one data item retrieved by the first computational entity to the query;   sending the query to a second computational entity for searching; and   receiving results from the second computational entity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first computational entity is an application, a portal, or a demon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second computational entity is a search engine, an application, or a web service. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting one or more data items from the user context to be attached to the query. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising prioritizing or ordering the results in accordance with a level of matching the data item or the user context. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein prioritizing or ordering is performed by the first computational entity or the second computational entity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one data item is a personal detail or a professional detail of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising storing the user context on a persistent storage device. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for data by a computer, comprising:
 a user context retrieval component for retrieving user context of a user using the computer, the user context comprising at least one data item, retrieving performed by a first computational entity executed by the computer;   a query receiving component for receiving a query issued by the user;   an information attachment component for attaching a data item of the at least one data item retrieved by the first computational entity to the query; and   a communication component for sending the query to a second computational entity for searching and receiving results,   wherein at least one component is executed by a processor at a computer.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the first computational entity is an application, a portal, or a demon. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the second computational entity is a search engine, an application, or a web service. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a selection component for selecting one or more data items from the user context to be attached to the query. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a result processing component for prioritizing or ordering the results in accordance with a level of matching the data item or the user context. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the result processing component is executed by the first computational entity or the second computational entity. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the at least one data item is a personal detail or a professional detail of the user. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a storage device for storing the user context on a persistent storage device. 
     
     
         17 . A computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer, the set of instructions comprising:
 retrieving a user context of a user using a computer, the user context comprising at least one data item, retrieving performed by a first computational entity executed by the computer;   receiving a query issued by the user;   attaching a data item of the at least one data item retrieved by the first computational entity to the query;   sending the query to a second computational entity for searching; and receiving results from the second computational entity.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the set of instructions further comprises selecting one or more data items from the user context to be attached to the query. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the set of instructions further comprises prioritizing or ordering the results in accordance with a level of matching the data item or the user context. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the first computational entity is an application, a portal, or a demon, and the second computational entity is a search engine, an application, or a web service.